Doesn’t matter what people say or how they mistreat me, how they cast me down, betray me, demean me, because I’ll exchange it for a crown someday.

Doesn’t matter what is taken from me, what I loose. Doesn’t matter where I live, or if I’m homeless or no, doesn’t matter the pain I feel from day to day, because I’ll exchange it for a crown someday.

Doesn’t matter if I succeed or fail in this world, if I’m cast out and made lower than the snail; because I’ll exchange it for a crown someday.

What can be given me in exchange of what I’ve found; gold? Perhaps silver, houses or lands? None of these things matter, because I’ll exchange it someday for a crown.

I have found something to take the place of all the things I thought I needed to be sound and supported, even a safety net is not as safe as what I’ve found. I’ve found the key to my freedom, the key to my success, the key to joy and completeness, and it’s not things, places, people, or more riches than any man can count. It’s Jesus Christ and He will exchange all my lack, poverty, dismay, hurt, pain, suffering, and defeat for a crown someday.

It doesn’t matter what anyone else says: As long as I got Jesus, I have everything I need.

The Word of God: its read, committed to memory, debated, interpreted, philosophized, used as a metaphor for all our issues, believed on, but rarely personified.

The scripture says: In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word Was God, John 1:1. A little ways down it says: “and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”(John 1:14) This means that Jesus not only lived the Word, he was the Word, and he performed the Word. In other words, he couldn’t help but do the things he did, because that’s who he is. His walk was to demonstrate what we would have the power to do, if we allowed the Word to be personified within us. The things he did, the words he preached was not only to prove he was sent by God, but to demonstrate the power and authority allotted to everyone that would believe in his name and do his works. In other words do what he did.

This was his purpose for coming into the world, to redeem us back to himself and to demonstrate that power we would have after his death, resurrection, and ascension.

Here is the thing, the Word of God is not a metaphor for our life issues, nor is it to be debated and interpreted as it is today. Jesus said if you have the faith of a grain of mustard seed we can say to the mountain, be removed and cast into the sea, and it would obey. The mountain then has become our trials and tribulations, which are not mountains at all, but construction materials. This means that if there is a literal mountain in your way (now the reason you want the mountain moved has to be real, it can’t be some imaginary reason you want the mountain moved) you can speak to that mountain and tell it to move, telling it where to go, believing with no doubt, and it would obey your voice. This is the power and authority you have as a born again believer. In other words, if the (real not metaphoric) mountain is blocking your path to fulfilling God’s commands then speak to the mountain and command it to move, but you have to tell the mountain where to move to.

Some of you are shaking with disbelief even now. This is why you can’t see the power of God in your life. The Word only has power when it is performed, when it is walked out in faith with no doubt. Jesus said: “And these signed shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18) These are not metaphors, these are real and tangible.

So here it is: Your sickness; diabetes, cancer, arthritis, schizophrenia, and all manner of what we call diseases are actually demons in all their forms. These things should not reign over a child of God therefore, if these are in your body, speak to it and command the spirit of infirmity to leave, if you don’t have the faith, then go and get others who do, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick.

Faith is not you praying and waiting for the results, faith is you praying having seen the results before it appears. Faith is proactive, not passive.

So here’s the sum, don’t just live the Word, do the Word, perform the Word, speak the Word, and personify the Word. You wouldn’t have to carry the Word, if you would personify the Word. Meaning you need to become the Word, to see the Word performed in your life on a regular basis, and not just in a season.

Today we see all kinds of news about the state of this worlds economy, men hearts are failing, because many have lost possessions, and are uncertain about the future. However, this is not my economy.

In my economy, God uses gold as building blocks, diamonds and pearls are used for gates, and crystal is used for rivers. In my economy, God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and I have need of nothing. If this seems hard for you to swallow, perhaps you should look very closely at where you live.

I live in a kingdom and the King is responsible for my well being. I do not depend on the Democracy we are of for I am in the world, but not of the world. Therefore, my every need is supplied by our Lord and King Jesus the Christ. This worlds economy is subject to mans frailties and faults, but God is not subject to anyone, and therefore, has given us the ability to speak those things that be not as though they were. As though they were; is past tense, he didn’t say as though they are, but as though they were; meaning they already exist if we have the faith to believe it.

We are a people subject to the world our eyes see and therefore, are made subject to the limitations of our vision. However, Jesus died to correct our vision that the world through him might look to that which is not seen, rather than that which is. If you are born of God meaning you have been baptized by the Spirit of God (Holy Ghost); you are no longer in a democracy, but a kingdom. This means that we are no longer subject to the limitations of this worlds governments, but are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. When was the last time a son or daughter of the King went without their basic needs.

Perhaps you need to change your vision. Perhaps if we were not attempting to make ourselves comfortable in this world, our eyes would look to the world that is to come. Set your affections on things above, not on things of the earth. It is God’s pleasure to meet all of your needs, and he does it based on His riches in glory, not the worlds riches which are limited.

If you are stressing over the worlds economy, your vision is impaired, if the bills are getting you down, your affections are in the wrong direction. look to the hills from which comes your help. If its not coming from the Lord where is it coming from? As God clothe the lily He can clothe you, as He feeds the birds of the air, he can feed you. Whose report are you believing? The news will always give you bad news, but Jesus has good news for you; I AM. He says I am everything you need.

Is there anything too hard for God? No good thing will he withhold from them who walk uprightly. Look out, what do you see? Do you see confusion, or do you see order? Does your wallet move with the World’s economy, or God’s? Your situation will change based on your vision. If your vision is limited so will your outcome be limited; in other words, you are limited only by your vision. Do you need healing? Then your vision can’t be limited by your sickness. Do you need a home? Don’t limit your vision by your inability to afford one. All things are possible to them who believe and walk according to the will of the Lord.

Believe and you SHALL receive. Receive it before you see it and it is yours. Be relentless in your faith, and God will be relentless in the answer. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own vision (Understanding). Let God’s economy supersede this world’s economy, and you will have lack of nothing. When God is all you need, He is all you will receive, and that is everything.

I pray these words of encouragement will fill you and empower you. Feel free to pass this along if you like and remember, we are not waiting on God, He is waiting on our vision to change.

There are many challenges in being single and living for God, the most pressing one being the fight within. The fight to deny ones own desires in order to preserve ones integrity in his or her relationship with God; is an old story and a constant fight.

Being a man I must speak from a male’s perspective. What we must understand first of all is that man fundamentally, is a sexual being. He is endowed with the drive and prowess for frequent conquest. Meaning, it is built into him to engage in sexual relationship. However, this engagement is meant to take place between a man and his wife. However, just because he is built this way, does not mean that it is a license to participate in every manner of sexual immorality.

Now, I cannot speak about sex and God without speaking about the enemy which is the Devil. Anything that God has setup to benefit man; the enemy takes it and perverts it. Therefore, God made sex to be shared between a man and his wife. The enemy comes and adds lust and now we have an epidemic of sexual immorality, and this is in the church. I don’t have the statistics, but teenage pregnancy is rising in the church by leaps and bounds; mainly because of what the adults are doing. If we are not willing to be examples of God’s ability to keep us, why do we expect our children to do so? We all need examples, someone to show us that it is possible to live for God and be single.

Living single in today’s society is a challenge, but it is not difficult.Since sex is the main problem with living single, I have started with it.

The first thing one must do in order to live for God and maintain a holy lifestyle; free from sex; is to want to live single without sex.“ For it there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not (2 Corinthians 8:12),” “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass(Psalms 37:5).”The power of desire to do something is a strong deterrent; however, if you do not want to do it you will not do it.

The next thing is to acknowledge your weakness in this area, and bring it to God.“ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you (1 Peter 5:7).” “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day (2 Timothy 1:12).” When you give something to the Lord, you must believe and trust that He will keep it for you. However, you cannot give it to Him and then take it back; and expect Him to continue keeping you. When you get serious with Him, He gets serious with you.

Though it is possible to be single and not have sex without salvation, this is usually because of a lack of opportunity or fear. In order to truly be free to live a holy life before the Lord you must be apart of Him. In other words, you have to be saved, and filled with His Holy Spirit. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Romans 8:9).” With the Spirit of Christ comes power.Power to deny your own desire, however, we must begin to believe in that power. If you have something, you asked for, but you do not believe you received it; will you use it? The body of Christ is filled with people who do not believe in the power Christ has given them.

Sex is not the enemy.God has given it to us to enjoy, however, He has also given us rules to govern it. “Wherefore lay apart (aside) all filthiness and superfluity (something unnecessary) of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21).”

If sex is committed outside of marriage, it is filthiness and fornication.“ Flee fornication.Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornicationsinneth against his own body (1 Corinthians 6:18).” If Christ told us not to do something, He has given us the power not to do it.

Being single is a beautiful thing. You have the freedom to do what you will, to serve God without distraction. However, in order to live single you must start with a single mind. “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8) “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee (Isaiah 26:3).”

One of the difficult things about living single is all the stimuli we have in the world, and all the friends we do not want to give up who are in the world. In other words, distractions will keep us from our ability to live single and holy.

One of the first things I had to do, in order to live single, and holy is to give up all distractions and influences that could persuade me; to return to the things I was giving up. If you have friends that are not living the life, you desire to live; you must give them up, or keep them at arms length. The power of persuasion is a great deferent to living the kind of life God has called you to live. “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee (Exodus 23:33).” Therefore, anyone who does not have a personal relationship with Christ; should not be in your inner circle of friends.

The one thing you could do to make this easier, is to stop thinking of yourself as single. Think of yourself as in a relationship with the Lord. He is constantly with you, He never leaves you, and He is ever present with you. You are not alone.

Not being in a relationship does not mean you are single. If you are still pining over a lost lover, you are not single. If when you see this person you still have a feeling that rises up in you, you are not single. If you are still angry and have not forgiving this person or persons, you are not single. You are still attached to them, by anger, by love, and by desire. Until you can think on this person, or see this person and have no reaction at all, you are not single. Wherefore, if you go into another relationship, and you have not released the other person; you will not have a successful relationship. Mainly because you will compare your next relationship, with your last relationship. Therefore, you must become single, before starting a new relationship.

Being single speaks to having a single mind. Not being divided by thought, action, or feeling. “But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord (Corinthians 7:32).” Therefore, a single-minded person cares only for the things that will please the Lord, not him/herself or another. Also, being single is more than not being with someone.

Like this:

Recently I had the opportunity to give my son the rite of passage, from a boy into manhood. I gave him the authority to stand up and be the man he was raised to be. The man that God has called him to be. I soon realized that God is telling us, the born-again believer the same thing.

He is saying to us “it is time to STAND-UP!!” Creflo Dollar said something that really touch me, he said: “It is time we started acting like sons of God.” This is a rite of passage. For the sons (and daughters) of God to be sons of God. It is time we stop allowing the devil to run us ragged.

It is time that we stop being afraid of doing what God has told us to do. Where is the fear that was present in the Apostles’ day (in the church and out)? When you step outside you door, deamons should tremble. Where is the power that we have the right to, but have not taken the authority of. You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, Acts 1. Power to deny your flesh, power to love your enemies, power to tread on serpents, power to subdue the enemy in-a-me, power to lay hands on yourself, and be healed.

The Lord is waiting for us to STAND UP! To subdue nations, principalities, and to defeat strong hold. This is not for a select group, but for everyone that names the Lord as their savior.

Take back the authority that God has given you through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If you have not submitted yourself under the authority of the Holy Ghost do so now. Then and only then will the power lying dorment within you come alive. STAND-UP in Jesus’ name!